What this medicine is used for

The name of your medicine is Terry White Chemists Doxycycline. It contains the active ingredient doxycycline (as the monohydrate).

It is an antibiotic which belongs to a group called tetracyclines.

It is used to:

treat certain types of infections

control acne

prevent some forms of malaria.

Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed
this medicine for another reason.

This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.

How it works

It works by killing or stopping the growth of bacteria which cause infections or make acne worse. It also works against parasites
that cause malaria.

It will not work against infections caused by viruses such as colds or the flu.

There is no evidence that this medicine is addictive.

Use in children

This medicine should not be given to children 8 years of age or under for infections, or to children 10 years of age or under
for preventing malaria.

Doxycycline, like other tetracyclines, may cause enamel loss and staining in developing teeth or increase the pressure on
your child's brain.

Before you take this medicine

When you must not take it

Do not take this medicine if:

You are taking oral retinoid medicines such as preparations containing vitamin A, isotretinoin or etretinate.

You are hypersensitive to, or have had an allergic reaction to, doxycycline, other tetracyclines, or any of the ingredients
listed at the end of this leaflet.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include: cough, shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the
face, lips, tongue, throat or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin; fainting; or hay fever-like symptoms.

If you think you are having an allergic reaction, do not take any more of the medicine and contact your doctor immediately
or go to the Accident and Emergency department at the nearest hospital.

The expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack has passed.

The packaging is torn, shows signs of tampering or it does not look quite right.

Before you start to take it

Before you start taking this medicine, tell your doctor if:

1.You have allergies to:

any other medicines

any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes.

2.You have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following:

anticonvulsant medicines that are used to treat seizures, such as phenytoin and carbamazepine

methoxyflurane, an anaesthetic

acetazolamide and ethoxzolamide, medicines used to help the body get rid of salt and water

disodium hydrogen edetate

sodium bicarbonate, found in indigestion remedies and also given by injection

sodium lactate

the contraceptive pill (birth control pill). Doxycycline may decrease the effectiveness of some birth control pills.

Your doctor may advise you to use an additional method of contraception while taking doxycycline.

If you are taking any of these you may need a different dose or you may need to take different medicines.

Some medicines may interfere with the absorption of doxycycline into the body. Do not take any of the following medicines
whilst taking doxycycline:

calcium, magnesium or aluminium salts found in antacids, medicines for indigestion

bismuth salts, found in some medicines used to treat stomach ulcers or indigestion

preparations that contain iron including vitamin preparations.

other preparations containing calcium, magnesium or aluminium

In addition, alcohol can reduce the blood levels of doxycycline and should be avoided.

Other medicines not listed above may also interact with doxycycline.

How to take this medicine

Follow carefully all directions given to you by your doctor. Their instructions may be different to the information in this
leaflet.

How much to take

Your doctor will tell you how much of this medicine you should take. This will depend on your condition, age, body weight
and whether you are taking any other medicines.

For treating infections, the usual dose of doxycycline is 100 mg twice a day for the first day, followed by 100 mg once a
day from then on.

For controlling acne, the usual dose is 50 mg (taken as one 50 mg tablet or half a 100 mg tablet) once a day.

For the prevention of malaria, the usual dose is 100 mg once a day, commencing two days before entering the malarious area,
during the visit, and for four weeks after leaving the area.

Travel medicine advice may change from time to time and it is best to ask your doctor or pharmacist for the most up to date
information about which antimalarial medicines are suitable for certain areas, and for how long you need to take the medicine
after leaving the malarious area.

You should ensure that you take your medicine with unfailing regularity for the whole time you are there and after leaving
the malarious area, as parasites may still emerge from the liver for up to four weeks after the last possible exposure to
infection.

Do not stop taking your medicine or change your dosage without first checking with your doctor.

How to take it

Swallow the tablets whole with a full glass of water or milk while sitting or standing upright.

Do not crush or chew the tablets.

Do not lie down immediately after swallowing doxycycline.

It is important to stay upright, for example sitting, standing or walking around for at least half an hour after swallowing
your tablet. This is to help avoid irritation to your food pipe, also called the oesophagus.

When to take it

Take your medicine during or immediately after a meal, at about the same each day (preferably in the morning).

If you take it on an empty stomach, it may cause stomach upset.

Avoid taking doxycycline at bedtime.

How long to take it for

Keep taking this medicine for as long as your doctor has told you, even if you begin to feel better after a few days.

If you do not complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, the infection may not clear completely or your symptoms
may return.

For treating infections, doxycycline is normally taken for one to two weeks.

For controlling acne, doxycycline 50 mg daily is normally taken over a period of twelve weeks, effectiveness after this period
has not been established.

For preventing malaria, doxycycline 100 mg daily is normally taken for up to eight weeks, safety after this period has not
been established.

Your doctor may prescribe doxycycline for longer periods.

Make sure you have enough to last over weekends and holidays.

If you forget to take it

If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose at the usual time. Otherwise take
it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your medicine as you would normally.

Do not take a double dose to make up for missed doses.

This may increase the chance of you experiencing side effects.

If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.

If you take too much (overdose)

If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons
Information Centre (Tel: 13 11 26 in Australia) for advice. Alternatively go to the Accident and Emergency Department at your
nearest hospital.

Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention.

If you take too much doxycycline, you may feel sick or be sick.

While you are taking this medicine

Things you must do

If you are taking doxycycline for an infection and your symptoms do not improve within a few days or they become worse, tell
your doctor.

If you get severe diarrhoea tell your doctor immediately. Do this even if it occurs several weeks after you have stopped taking
this medicine.

Diarrhoea may mean that you have a serious condition affecting your bowel. You may need urgent medical attention.

Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without first checking with your doctor.

Tell your doctor that you are taking this medicine if:

you are about to be started on any new medicine

you plan to have any vaccinations or immunisations

you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant

you are breastfeeding or are planning to breast-feed

you are about to have any blood tests

you are going to have surgery.

Your doctor may occasionally do tests to make sure the medicine is working and to prevent side effects. Go to your doctor
regularly for a check-up.

Tell any other doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you take this medicine.

Things you must not do

Do not:

Give this medicine to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours.

Take your medicine to treat any other condition unless your doctor tells you to.

Stop taking your medicine, or change the dosage, without first checking with your doctor.

If you do not complete the full course, all of the bacteria causing your infection may not be killed. These bacteria may continue
to grow and multiply so that your infection may not clear completely or it may return.

Things to be careful of

Protect your skin when you are in the sun, especially between 10am and 3pm. Do not use a sunlamp while taking doxycycline.

Doxycycline may cause your skin to be much more sensitive to sunlight than it is normally. Exposure to sunlight may cause
a skin rash, itching, redness, or a severe sunburn.

If outdoors, wear protective clothing and use a 30+ sunscreen.

If your skin does appear to be burning, tell your doctor as soon as possible.

Be careful while driving or operating machinery until you know how doxycycline affects you.

Possible side effects

Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking doxycycline or if you have any questions
or concerns.

Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them. All medicines can have side
effects. Sometimes they are serious but most of the time they are not.

Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following:

oral thrush - white, furry, sore tongue and mouth

vaginal thrush - sore and itchy vagina and/or discharge

nail changes (i.e. change in colour or loosening from the nail bed)

stomach upsets, such as pain, indigestion, or feeling sick

loss of appetite or taste sensation

sore mouth or tongue

mild irritation of the oesophagus (food pipe)

difficulty or pain when swallowing

tooth discolouration, changes in tooth enamel.

If you experience any of the following, stop taking your medicine and contact your doctor immediately or go to the Accident
and Emergency department at your nearest hospital.

These are very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.

Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following side effects, particularly if they occur several weeks after
you have finished taking doxycycline:

severe stomach cramps

watery and severe diarrhoea, which may be bloody

fever, in combination with one or both of the above.

These are serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention. Doxycycline can cause some bacteria that are normally
harmless and present in the bowel to multiply and cause the above symptoms.

Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without first checking with your doctor.

Other side effects not listed above may occur in some patients.

Allergic reactions

If you think you are having an allergic reaction to doxycycline, do not take any more of this medicine and tell your doctor
immediately or go to the Accident and Emergency department at your nearest hospital.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include some or all of the following:

cough, shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing

swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat or other parts of the body

rash, itching or hives on the skin

fainting

hay fever-like symptoms.

Storage and disposal

Storage

Keep your medicine in its original packaging until it is time to take it. If you take your medicine out of its original packaging
it may not keep well.

Keep your medicine in a cool dry place where the temperature will stay below 25°C. Protect it from light.

Do not store your medicine, or any other medicine, in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it on a window sill or in
the car. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.

Keep this medicine where children cannot reach it.

A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.

Disposal

If your doctor tells you to stop taking this medicine or it has passed its expiry date, your pharmacist can dispose of the
remaining medicine safely.

Product description

What Terry White Chemists Doxycycline looks like

Terry White Chemists Doxycycline 50 mg Tablets:

Dull yellow, round biconvex tablets.

Blister packs of 25

Terry White Chemists Doxycycline 100 mg Tablets:

Dull yellow, round, biplane tablets with a single sided scored notch.

Blister packs of 7 & 21

*Not all strengths and/or pack sizes may be available.

Ingredients

Each tablet contains either 50 mg or 100 mg of doxycycline (as monohydrate) as the active ingredient.

It also contains the following inactive ingredients:

microcrystalline cellulose

sodium starch glycollate

hydrogenated castor oil

povidone

colloidal silicon dioxide

magnesium stearate.

This medicine is gluten-free, lactose-free, sucrose-free, tartrazine-free and free of other azo dyes.

It is important to keep in mind that nontuberculous mycobacteria are environmental, and so unlike mycobacterial tuberculosis, generally this is not a person to person transmitted disease. The organisms are found universally in water and soil and so most people are exposed on a daily basis.

Aging is the continuing process of such stress exposures, and with advancing age (normal aging), we must carry lots of senescent cells within our bodies. Senescent cells also often provide some ‘bad influences’ to surrounding healthy cells; such as chronic inflammation and tumorigenesis

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